This Kefir Smoothie is made with frozen fruit and honey and is so delicious. But, of course, you can use any sweetener you want! It's a great way to start the day and get your probiotics.
After all, what tastier way is there to feed the gut the good bacteria it needs? And, it is GAPS diet legal and can help reverse leaky gut.
This kefir smoothie recipe is just one of the recipes included in my Simple Cheesemaking ebook. Follow the link to find more wonderful cheese recipes with easy to follow instructions and much more!
Kefir smoothies are enjoyed daily at our house. Because they're so easy to make from scratch and they contain such delicious ingredients, our family has embraced them wholeheartedly!Kefir is a staple on the GAPS diet if you do not have problems with diary because it feeds the good bacteria and can help reverse leaky gut!
It helped me reverse chronic illnesses like rheumatoid arthritis, eczema and food allergies!
What Does Kefir Do For You?
If you are not familiar with kefir, it is like yogurt on steroids, as far as probiotics are concerned. Yogurt can have 5 - 7 strains of beneficial bacteria but, kefir can have 50+!
That is quite a difference if you are concerned about your gut health. I know we all want to be healthier and having a healthy gut is very important. Kefir is a and other fermented foods are a tool to reach that end.
Milk is a good source of protein and calcium, and kefir is no different.
However it has the added benefits of probiotics. Probiotics are known as 'friendly bacteria' that can help reverse leaky gut and help with symptoms, such as, bloating. (source)
How is Kefir Different from Yogurt?
If you are new to kefir here a some of its differences between kefir an yogurt:
- Kefir has many more strains of probiotic bacteria than yogurt. This is one reason you should drink it!
- It is not as thick as yogurt and is drinkable like regular milk.
- Kefir also has more twang than yogurt thus, depending on your taste, may require more sweetening. Yet I find it more drinkable partly for that exact reason.
Other Ways To Use Kefir
There are lots of ways to use kefir. It's a wonderful dairy product that you can use as a substitute in many recipes.
- Use it in my fried chicken recipe and it produces a deliciously tender yet crunchy fried chicken!
- Kefir can be used as a substitute for sour cream (although it is not as thick), buttermilk or an enhancer for many recipes. In my Buttermilk Pie, I find that it adds a sweet tang to the overall taste.
- Kefir isn't always the predominant flavor in every recipe where you find it—but sometimes you want it to be! That's why we also use it in recipes like the one for these popsicles.
- While I like to drink kefir plain, others in the family prefer it to be made into a smoothie. So, that is what we have each morning with our breakfast - a kefir smoothie.
How to Make a Kefir Smoothie
We like to add sweeter fruit to our smoothies, adding things like strawberries and blueberries.
Just add the type of fruit you want to work with and play around with different textures. Rule of thumb is 1/2 cup of fruit per 1 cup of kefir - but of course, you can use any ratio you desire.
Different fruit combinations are delicious and there are lots of great combos to be found!
To recap:
- Using a blender - Add kefir, fruit (1/2 cup of fruit to each 1 cups kefir), sweetener (I use 1 - 2 Tbsp honey) of choice and blend.
- Using an immersion blender - Add kefir, fruit (1/2 cup of fruit to each 1 cups kefir), sweetener (I use 1 - 2 Tbsp honey) of choice and using the immersion blender, blend until smooth.
I have purchased kefir grains which are required for homemade kefir and you can find detailed instructions on making it yourself in the How to Make Kefir Video.
If you have not tried it before, I encourage you to - it is very simple and much more economical.
More About the Health Benefits of Kefir
Kefir is amazing! According to Wikipedia:
Probiotic bacteria found in kefir products include Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium bifidum, Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, Lactobacillus helveticus, Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens, Lactococcus lactis, and Leuconostoc species.
Lactobacilli in kefir may exist in concentrations varying from approximately 1 million to 1 billion colony-forming units per milliliter and are the bacteria responsible for the synthesis of the polysaccharide kefiran.
In addition to bacteria, kefir often contains strains of yeast that can metabolize lactose, such as Kluyveromyces marxianus, Kluyveromyces lactis and Saccharomyces fragilis, as well as strains of yeast that do not metabolize lactose, including Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Torulaspora delbrueckii, and Kazachstania unispora. The nutritional significance of these strains is unknown.
Tips for Making a Kefir Smoothie
- In the following kefir smoothie recipe, the amount of honey you add varies depending on the twanginess of the kefir and how sweet you like it. Feel free to adjust as your taste changes.
- Be adventurous - add any fruit - bananas, strawberries, blueberries, mango - the possibilities are endless!
- Don't be afraid to try a green kefir smoothie - add 1 c. spinach or kale and 1 c. fruit.
If you’ve tried this Kefir Smoothie or any other recipe on Cultured Palate please take a minute to rate the recipe and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, YouTube and TWITTER
Kefir Smoothie
Ingredients
To make 2 cups:
- 1 c kefir
- 1/2 c fruit fresh or frozen strawberries, peaches, blueberries, bananas ...
- 1 - 2 Tbsp honey adjust to taste
- 1/2 c ice cubes optional
To make 6 cups:
- 4 c. kefir
- 1 c. fresh or frozen fruit - strawberries, peaches, blueberries, bananas ...
- 4 - 6 Tbsp. honey adjust to taste - we like them tangy!
- 1/2 - 1 c ice cubes optional
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients in blender just until smooth.
- Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
What Fruit Flavor Kefir Do You Like the Best?
Leave a comment - I would love to know!
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York says
Can it only be blended with fruit ? What about nuts and veggies or other stuff ?
Dina-Marie says
York, it would be delicious with nuts and other things - I would definitely be creative and try it!
Drumles Den Haag says
Just bought some kefir and cant wait to make a smoothie with it. Hopefully it will taste yummy!
Dina-Marie says
Let me know how you like it!
Val Sather says
It tastes great with the frozen fruit and veggie combo with spinach in it from Walmart. Then you don't need the ice.
Sheila Davies says
Kefir champaigne! Love it lightly flavoured with just about any fruit (sans sweetners). Breakfast smoothie includes variety of 5 veggies, fresh ginger, matcha powder, chia seeds, 1/4 c fruit, 1 tblsp coconut oil and 3/4c or more kefir. Yum.
Question for anyone - I have high cholesterol and have been told Red Rice Yeast is the best natural alternative to taking prescribed statins - will the added yeast content have a detrimental effect on the balance of beneficial bacteria and yeast in my gut from drinking 2 cups of kefir daily?
Dina-Marie says
Sheila, your kefir sounds delicious! I really don't know about he addition of red rice yeast but maybe someone else does?
Trace says
I'm wondering if you know much about blood types. I am 0+ and found after I had been on kefir a good while that I started to have asthma. My stomach hurt too. I've dropped my kefir intake down to 2 tablespoons per person per fruit smoothie and we are all feeling much better on this reduced amount. Any thoughts? I am unsure what how much a person needs to take in order for it to be beneficial on the body.
Dina-Marie says
Trace, that is very interesting. I know there is a book about your body's blood type and how it relates to your diet but I have not read it. It is called Eat Right 4 Your Type - you can click on the link to find out more about it. Do you have any other problems with dairy? If so, maybe it is a lactose intolerance that is a problem for you but you are able to tolerate a small amount of kefir since the lactose is converted during the kefering process. I hope this helps give some food for thought! Let me know what you think.
Jimmy says
Trace,
Try double fermenting it
Dina-Marie says
Thanks for the suggestion, Jimmy, I will!
Emily Kemp says
Wow so much information I had no idea about kefir, this smoothie looks delicious and definitely something I'll be trying!
Marie says
I'll never need another smoothie recipe. I love the tang of the kefir and the fact that I can use any fruit I like. I made a mango one, a red berry one and a purple berry one and they are all so delicious. Great recipe
Dina-Marie says
Marie, I am so glad you liked it and I love your fruit additions!